Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-17
THE GRAND ARMY.
SOME WAR REMINIsoENoEs
Something that Happened Before
ana Daring the War or Franklin.
Tenn.

Ienn-
have read many letters from com.
rades relative to the last battle OF Frank.
lin, Tenn. and will now give it as saw
it. was on staH duty Aid de-Csmp
to General ]. S. Easement, commanding
brigade under Cox, in the Twenty.
third Corps. The day before we fell
back from COLUMBIA to Franklin, Gen.
Ruger borrowed" my company and
posted it we knew not where. At Spring
Hill, on our way to Franklin, we met
Gen. Ruger, and Gen. Easement asked
him where my company was. He replied
he had posted it on Duck River, above
Columbia. midway between where Gen.
Cheatman's Corps had crossed and the
pike we were falling back on. It was
now dark, and Cheatmsn's Corps was in
camp in sight of our retreating column.
Easement rebuked Kruger for leaving the
company, and Ruger supposed" Case
ment hal relieved it-when he knew
Easement did not know where the COM
pany was taken.
was now ordered to 60 back the
pike few miles to where the dirt road
led to the left follow this to the
river, and try to reach and bring up the
company. 1t was forlorn hope, yet
resolved to save my company from cap.
ture if possible. As the feet-foot,d
horse ! rode was doing his best covering
the few miles to where the dirt road led
to the pike, the night air rang out with
the picket shots fired at me by Cheat
hams line. Reaching the forks of the
road challenged an advancing column
and learned it was our cavalry rear.
guard. / told its commander my Or
ders. He directed me to return, stating
that the rebels were pressing him sorely,
and called my attention to heavy skirm-
ishing close in his rear. begged him
to form line and try and bold the enemy
in check, and to give me an escort to
save my company. To this he replied,
"No, cannot do SO; besides, your COM
pany is already prisoners, being many
miles to the rear and between the two
advancing rebel Ines"
With anything but blessings upon Ru,
gers head ! returned to Gen. Casemen.
and reported. He said, well, you and
/ have done our duty; your company is
gone, and Gen. Ruger must answer for
the sacrifice
The company heard troops marching
on either side all night and heavy skir'
mishing as we retreated but, like Casa
blanca, never left its post. Next morn
ing, surrounded by Hoods whole army.
it surrendered and started for prison
hells in the South. In crossing the Ten~
nessee river two brave fellows mounted
log. under cover of the darkness, and
amid water and drifting ice, made
their escape down the river, where,
three days after, more dead than alive,
they were picked up by our gnnboats.
Badly frozen In their limbs they were
taken to Paducha, KY, where found
them the next February. Highberger
and Montgomery were the names of these
heroes, and whatever became of them /
know not. The rest Of the company
that was captured went on to prison,
and were only released at the close of
the war. Returning home unon tue ill-
starred Sultanna, which blew up near
Memphis, Tenn, most of them who
escaped death in prison found watcry
graves. A few swan ashore, / learned,
but who or whsre they are l do not
know,
The army moved on to franklin. Gen.
Easements Brigade was posted to the
left of the pike, with its right resting at
battery near the old cotton gin. Gen.
Reilly's Brigade was Immediately on our
right, his 1O4th Ohio joining our right.
with Kentucky regiment few rods in
rear of the 104th as q reserve. The
fight opened, and during a rebel charge
the 1O4th Ohio left the works. Gen.
Easement ordered the Kentucky regi-
ment to charge and fill the gap, which
it did in gallant style, capturing several
hundred rebels.
During all this Gen. Reilly, who had
been on the right of his brigade, galloped
to the left and rallied the l04th just as
the brave Kentuckians retook the works.
Here hot words ensued between General
easement and General Reilly. General
j. D. Cox came upon the seeing
the broken llDe and the 104th Ohio rum
ning-and just here ore of General Cox's
staff was killed. Cox heard Reilly and
Easement disputing, and ordered them
to their posts under penalty of ar
rest if they exchanged another
epithet. Brave Jack Easement re-
turned to his brigade with the
proud satisfaction of having led in the
charge with the Kentucky heroes who
saved the line ad joining the cotton -giI
on the right. No better commander
of brigade ever lived than Jack Case
mcnt, Of Painesville, o., and it was up
on his brigade works that Gen. Pa
Celeburne fell while leading charge
Easements Brigade stood like ston'
wall and never wayered during an.
) charge. Jack had told every man i
was ''whip Hood or surrender-that w
could not retreat" So the men said
: swell, General, we'll never surrender.
So the line was held till the fight endet
aud the night retreat to Nashville or
dered. think that Kentucky regimen
was either the 14th or 10th, and If tn
! 10th Ohio undertake to gainsay thes
truths, I trust its survivors will come +
] the front and substantiate this. Gen
Easement will remember me as his All
from the 'sold 124th Ind, as he used :
call me.
Now, comrades, remember all this %
CURED away to the left of the pike.
would be pleased to receive letters iso! !,
Gen. Easement and every member q n
staif. as also from any survivors o. ou
comnany. which Con R,igef sacrliled. y
. 3 CoNNrR. Willow Springs, NO., !
H rtxy. .sxval Tsrihl1na "